Case studies

  • Fundabac Filter > RML Type

Chiba Plant, AGC Inc.

Case studies of RML filters (metal-free filters): Completely closed with fully automatic filtration's operation for highly corrosive slurry which contains hydorochloric acid

We had the honor of visiting AGC Inc., a company that boasts world-leading market share in various industries, including glass, displays, and electronic materials centered around chemicals. With their advanced technological prowess, they continue to expand their presence into leading and growth sectors. As part of their factory equipment, they have chosen to incorporate our RML Filter. We conducted an interview to learn more about the background leading up to the adoption of our product and how the product has been integrated into their operations.

Company Overview

Chiba Plant, AGC Inc.

Year of Establishment

September 8, 1907

Products

1. Architectural glass, automotive glass
2. Display glass
3. Essential chemicals, fluorinated chemicals
4. Ceramics

Head Office

Shin-Marunouchi Bldg.1-5-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8405

Website

http://www.agc.com/

Company
overview

AGC Inc. has been operating its business on a global scale across four key areas: glass, electronics, chemicals, and ceramics. Armed with world-class technology and expertise nurtured throughout its history spanning over a century, AGC has been supplying an extensive range of products, including architectural glass, automotive glass, LCD display glass, electronic components, and high-performance materials like chemicals and ceramics, to a diverse clientele of various industries. Additionally, as a manufacturer specializing in glass and materials, AGC offers solutions specific to the customers' needs. The company remains committed to the continuous pursuit of creating new values to realize a prosperous society.

Products

AGC's fluorine products have been applied not only in the chemical industry but also across various other sectors.
For instance, they play a pivotal role in fields such as clothing, paint resins, resins for inks and coating agents, ion exchange membranes for soda and potash electrolysis, resin additives, and paint additives. With the power of fluorine, AGC supports the lives of people around the world.

For more information, please visit the following pages:
List of applications in chemicals and other industries (textiles, machinery, etc.)

Background

Q What were the circumstances and challenges that led you to consider the adoption of a filter system? What were the issues and requirements of your existing equipment?

Our fluoropolymer manufacturing plant generates a substantial amount of wastewater, but because it contains resins, we are required to remove them. Until now, we had been treating this wastewater in polypropylene bucket filters. However, the filters quickly became clogged after a short period of time, so we had to clean them frequently. Since the liquid is acidic, we needed to wear acid-resistant protective gear to prevent potential disasters caused by the liquid. Doing that became extremely difficult, especially during summer. It was urgent that we remove the resins safely from the wastewater, so we considered using new equipment.

Determining Factors

Q With the various challenges you were facing, could you please share the reasons for choosing our filtration system? And what were the deciding factors in choosing our product?


 
We were in search of equipment that didn't require manual intervention, performed with a high resin capture rate, and was made from acid-resistant materials. This led us to IHI's RML Filter. We conducted lab-scale assessments and pilot trials using a demo unit, and we did those in partnership with IHI. Thanks to that, we were able to adopt the actual system within a short time span. IHI's RML Filter also possessed comparatively superior qualities than similar products of other manufacturers. The extended longevity of the wear components and the wide selection of acid-resistant material options were also significant factors that led to our decision.

Outcome of Application

Q Have your challenges been resolved after utilizing our filtration system? How has the system been received within your company?

Resin removal can now be done while closing off the line, so we have eliminated the risk of acid-related incidents. We also eliminated almost all resins from acidic wastewater, and that has significantly reduced the cases of operations being suspended due to resin blockage in the downstream sewage wastewater treatment plant. (We were able to substantially reduce costs.)

Future Outlook

Q Please share your future outlook and plans regarding filtration systems.

Our Chiba Plant handles a substantial amount of acidic wastewater, and we aim to expand the implementation of acid-resistant RML Filters in production lines that deal with similar wastewater or wastewater load challenges.

Our Procuct

[製品写真]
  • Fundabac Filter > RML Type

RML Filter (metal-free filter) is a type of filter that does not use any metals in the liquid contact parts.

This filtration system allows for completely sealed and fully automatic operation, even with highly acidic liquids, thereby resulting in a significant improvement of production efficiency and safety compared to previous filtration systems. For detailed information on our products, please see here.

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